A Fantasia Tale
by Red Dog Krim
Summary: Oddities and adventure abound in this tale as our Hero tries to come to grips with his Fantasia'd reality. Saving the world and trying get back to normal, if only he could devote himself to one or the other surely things would be so much easier. Warning: This tale contains Fantasia and a poor Gender bent Midlander. Ratings will probably not vary...
1. Chapter 0

**Prologue**

**Shouldn't Have Gone in There.**

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Icy winds whistled down from snow capped peaks onto the small band of tightly wrapped adventurers fighting their way through the snowy fields below. After the calamity four years prior the climates all over Eorzea had been flipped end over end. None more evident than that of Coerthas, the once fertile greenery had turned to ice, snow, and frigid… freezingness. At the back of the group trudged a weary Hyuran male with an all encompassing heavy woolen cloak and cowl. Breath misted before him as he peered out of the fur lined hood at those in front of him.

How was the Lalafell beating him… how was he not sinking into the snow over his head? Those damned fancy boot-shoes he'd crafted before their departure seemed to be easily keeping him aloft. Not so with Levy and a few of the other less fortunately clad members of their party… those suits of plate mail and chain may help in some cases… walking through the snow was not one of them.

"How much farther Vallio?" The blonde shouted form the back to their highlander leader in the front. He didn't seem perturbed in the least by their current icy plight… perhaps he had a cousin that was from an icy clime or something.

"Should be right around the next bend," the man hollered back while to him without stopping. Good, he needed a break from this nightmare; hopefully these ruins hadn't been picked clean by the Ishgardian's just yet. They had been discovered by a man who lost his way some two weeks prior, and Vallio had been present in a tavern while he explained the oddities he'd glimpsed briefly before monsters had set upon him.

"Getting cold feet, Levy?" The tall bow wielding Elezen questioned from mid group back to him… then laughed at his own pun.

"My feet froze about an hour ago, the only thing keeping them from turning black and falling off is the thought of getting there before we freeze in place."

"Quit you're whining Hyur!" Exclaimed the Lalafellian healer who had turned back and motioned angrily at him. "And keep your eyes open for any would be attackers. That's why we have you bringing up the rear!"

The blonde rolled sky blue eyes and took another look around. The spear strapped to his back would be easy enough to unleash should anyone come too close, but the only encounter they'd had thus far was that of a simple snow wolf. The creature had been easily dispatched by their Elezen archer – Kyraal before it reached fifty paces from them.

Silence reigned once more as the group walked the remaining fifteen minutes to the large cavern each man did their respective job and kept their eyes peeled for sudden attacks by the more vicious creatures that inhabited Coerthas. Of course, Levy was constantly complaining about many things in his head as they went, the cold was still a dominant one. Followed closely by the wind, the Lalafell, the slight itch on his back he couldn't scratch, and the cold. Damned Coerthas weather.

The cavern entrance itself was a mostly frozen walkway with large boulders and other rocks piled outside. Perhaps a landslide of sorts happened during the Calamity causing the face of the mountain to fall away. The worn metallic doors certainly looked old enough for their supposed Allagan origins. If that were the case, then they could be getting a hefty payday after this one; especially if they raided deep enough inside of the place.

It had been two weeks, so before long The Holy See would lay their stake to the place and seal it off from most everyone. The Ishgardian's were a fiercely suspicious lot, of that he'd had plenty of experience in his brief time here. "All clear," Vallio called back as he stepped through the half destroyed doors and into semi darkness. Kyraal went in next, followed by Artessa and finally Levy after un-holstering his Steel Spear and setting it into a loose grip.

"Take a minute to let your eyes adjust, tie off the pack chocobo, then we'll continue on." Their leader said as he sheathed his sword and set his shield on the partially frozen ground.

There were nods of acceptance and Levy sat reluctantly down to rest his cold weary feet after placing his spear within hands reach to his right. The boots he wore were not built for comfort, they were made so he could continue to have feet long into the future, and he did very much liked having his feet. The Steel Haubergeon and the armor that 'came as a set' with it had done its job quite well thus far. He still had all his body parts, and aside from a few scars, was overall in good shape, it wasn't like he'd been shot with an arrow anywhere horrendous that would stop him from being an adventurer.

"Should we not warm ourselves a bit before going any further?" Levy questioned the others.

"We haven't the time to waste on such things." The Lalafell stated, she was in a rush since before they had left. Then again, she was from Ul'Dah and time was money there… well, everything was money in Ul'Dah. Levy hated the place quite a bit. Extremes everywhere he went, too cold, too hot, too dry, too cold, too cold… it was too damn cold right now and he wanted a fire. Freaking Lalafellian woman didn't have to suffer through the slow thaw of partially frozen armor.

"I was not requesting your input Woman." He stated rather coldly, see, there was that word again. It was working its way into his very nature. "I do believe that Vallio is heading this little venture of ours."

"Enough," the man in question stated while rubbing the bridge of his nose. After a few moments obviously lost in thought the Highlander spoke once more. "We press on in five minutes." Levy made to make a complaint, but was cut off. "That's final," the man silenced any protests with a glare.

The blonde sighed and shook his head. He hadn't survived as an adventurer this long by taking chances, but he also hadn't had this sort of adventure before now. He would push forward like the rest of them, lured by the thought of monetary gain and renown. Pulling the thigh high chain boots slowly off; Levy grimaced and set each of them to the side before trying to thaw his feet by rubbing his hands around the still mostly dry socks to warm them up. A light sigh escaped his lips along with a large cloud of visible vapor.

"Get ready Levy, Kyraal, we're headed out." Their large framed leader stated as he made his way to his own feet after recovering his round mostly wooden shield. The man was relatively famous in certain adventuring circles, so Levy had been lucky to know the man for the last six years. If the two hadn't met before the fields of Carteneau, then he probably wouldn't have made it through that terrible day at all. In a way, Levyrian wanted very much to be like the Highlander. A sturdy shield for his comrade's, a valiant fighter, and a just man when presented with darker temptations.

After the thought of that battlefield four years ago flashes of magic, screaming, the thuds of heavy Garlean magitek walking around, and blood washed through the back of his eye lids when they closed before reaching for his boots. If Vallio said that they were ready, then they were ready. Truth be told, putting the boots back on was far worse than when he removed them. The icy tendrils from their still partially frozen chain links seeped easily through the socks he'd just warmed enough to be satisfied.

After grasping the haft of his spear, the blonde forced a smile onto his face before throwing back his fur lined cowl and taking the first step further into the labyrinth below. Their Lalafellian and Elezen comrades both held large torches to illuminate their surroundings. The walls were decorated with rich fresco like paintings of the glory of some ancient civilization that had long since crumbled into dust. It's glory pilfered later by the likes of his kind and countries across the world.

"What do you think of them Artessa?" The Elezen questioned as he motioned around them at the depictions.

The Lalafell hummed as a finger tapped down onto her chin. "This was a storage place of knowledge, perhaps a library, museum, or laboratory of some sort." Levy rolled his eyes once more, as if you could guess as to what sort of place this was after gazing at a few paintings, pottery and the like. Next thing you knew she'd be claiming to be one of the foremost experts on dungeons such as these.

"You… you think so?" The Elezen questioned while not trying in the least to hide the excitement from his voice.

"Keep your concentration on our surroundings," Vallio called back from his position at the front of their line. "These ruins have been opened up for a while now, there no telling what's taken up residence here."

"Of course," The Lalafellian stated as she continued to do just the opposite. Each time Levy's gaze came upon the woman she was staring at something with her head cocked to one side or the other. Their slow pace had given her plenty of time to-

"Hold," Vallio stated while holding his shield forward and his hand up in a stopping motion to those behind. A low growl echoed from somewhere down the dark passage ahead of them. "Kyraal, shoot a fire arrow into the darkness ahead of us. Levy and Artessa, be at the ready for what may come, and do not for Twelve's sake let the lights go out."

"No Problem," The Elezen replied as he handed his torch back to Levy and used the flame to light one of the few specially made arrows. The blonde had always liked seeing the way archers moved, fluidity and grace, every movement precise. The flaming arrow flew down the hallway a short ways passing by and illuminating a small pack of snow wolves before slamming into a vase and exploding at a 'T' intersection. The vase it hit exploded and rained fiery liquid into the intersection sending the wolves into a panic.

"LEVY! To the front!" The Highlander called and the Midlander followed instructions after laying the torch on a pedestal to the left side of the corridor. His spear was at the ready when the five snow wolves charged in fear, anger, and anticipation back towards the awaiting party.

The leading, soon to be dead wolf, leapt at them with a snarl. Vallio side stepped the beast and Levy brought his spear forward then braced himself while the beast impaled itself. Quickly pulling his spear back, the blonde spun around catching a glimpse of Vallio bashing in the head of another wolf with his shield. The tip and haft of the blondes spear slammed into the side of another wolf sending it tumbling to the side while an arrow took a fourth wolf in the eyes sending it crashing heels over head before coming to a stop some feet further.

Levy was upon his second victim in less than a moment, his spear running the creature through its throat and pulling free in time to see a white figure springing past him. Hefting the weight he hurled the spear through the air the short distance to his victim. It slid easily into the beast's right side while a second arrow collided with its head spinning the creature around before it came to a stop some feet away from a wide eyed Artessa.

"All clear?" Vallio questioned as he stepped back into their midst. A quick glance in the direction the man had come showed the Midlander that their leader had taken care of the wolf he'd bashed in the head and two smaller pups Levy hadn't noticed in the beginning. Was it cruelty… or pragmatism that had severed the two in half...?

Kyraal's and Artessa's call's stating their conditions reached his ears drawing him away from the rather grisly scene. Stepping along, Levy made his way towards the Lalafell who was gazing curiously at the fallen wolf before her. Yet as he approached she glanced up, "so, you are not completely useless after all." The woman stated after flipping her raven hair out of her eyes.

Levy smirked at her and replied, "We have yet to determine if the same can be said of you." A Humph, was her reply as she hastily stepped away from the slowly expanding pool of blood near her feet then made her way over to where Vallio and Kyraal were standing. Placing a boot onto the below him wolf he ripped the steel tipped spear from his fallen foe and then bent down to do much the same for their Elezen archers arrow. Never waste a perfectly good Arrow. His father had loved to hunt, and though Levy had not the coordination to do the same, he'd loved to go with the older man and watch whenever possible.

After rejoining his comrades some moments later he handed the arrow over to the brunette Elezen who thanked him with a nod before cleaning the tip with a rag and placing it back into his quiver. "Let's press on then," Vallio stated after sheathing his clean sword and turning back the way they'd been headed in the first place. The oil, or whatever it may be, was still burning at the intersection ahead casting odd shadows in whichever direction they may decide to head first.

Their leader looked one way, then the next with narrowed eyes as he stood between the scattered patches of flames. Levy did much the same as he bit at his lower lip lightly. Which way should they head first? Either way could cause them problems, or make them rich. **'Greed shall be your downfall', **a ghostly voice echoed inside of his head and he shook it away. "We head left first," Vallio stated and stepped lightly around the flames at their feet. "Watch for the flames, if they haven't gone out yet then they won't easily be put out should they catch you alight as well."

After resuming their usual formation, the party moved in the direction previously stated. This corridor was much the same as the last, though the wall decorations had all but vanished. Small doors littered the sides, but none of them would open, and the glass panes were impossible to break by any of them. So, the lot trudged on through the dark only taking a short break for water some ten minutes later.

**'Turn back',** echoed in that ghostly voice inside his head once more and he shook it away. The atmosphere was getting to him, he decided as a large double door loomed ahead of them. Intricate carvings covered its center… writings perhaps. He couldn't begin to decipher them. The blonde watched as Vallio and Kyraal both stepped forward without hesitation and pulled down two levers that had locked the door.

**'Don't enter',** the voice called again. He was beginning to doubt his imagination was at play. However, ignoring any better judgment, as the others walked through the now open door he followed after. The torch lights cast a glow about them reflecting off of shining metal, glass beakers of various forms, and sparkling piles of dust illuminating the room to a brightness Levy hadn't seen since they'd been in the daylight outside some hour or so before.

Wonder resounded through the Elezen's voice as he spoke, "by the twelve." Had they entered some sort of odd medical area? A shudder crawled its way up his spine bringing back that itch he'd had earlier in the day. 100 Gil for a back scratcher… would be a nice trade right then.

"Spread out and search the place thoroughly for anything dangerous before we try do more," Vallio stated as he glanced around. Levy nodded in acceptance of the order then moved towards a shelf full of concoctions. Strange liquids of varying colors filled them to the brim. **'Get out',** that voice rang through his head again. **'Hurry',** a heavy breeze blew through the room from behind him ruffling blonde hair.

"Hey, guys," Levy stated as he turned around to see them turn his way. Gleaming red eyes stared out of a black cloud that hung above the room menacingly. Sky blue's widened in horror before Vallio called them to the ready.

"TAKE UP A SCATTER FORMATION!" The Highlander shouted as he pulled his sword from its sheath. Levy quickly followed suit as did the other two. **'RUN',** the voice called out as Vallio charged in while shouting a battle cry. His sword swathed easily through the black mass of vapor and a ghastly chuckle echoed through the room around them. Bright lights glowed around the piles of sparkling dust as they swirled around and coalesced into vaguely ball like shapes which mimicked the larger floating specter in their mad laughter.

One of them flew menacingly at Vallio who brought his shield to bear; only for the little yellow ball to rise up at the last minute laughing madly before swirling around above him. Two others converged on Kyraal while a third danced sprightly around Artessa. With little hesitation Levy hurled his spear at the one circling the Lalafell and watched as it disintegrated into dust once more on contact. The black cloud Shrieked angrily as it charged at him.

The blonde ducked behind one of the large metal tables and crawled towards a different one to avoid the thing. The cloud slammed into the wall he'd been standing next to sending the shelves crashing to the floor and the potions of who knew what sort skittering, splashing, and smashing along with them. A white vapor escaped from some of the now broken glass containers causing the black cloud the shriek again before floating hastily away after the two came in contact. Crawling back the way he'd come he picked up a few of the bottles and shouted out from his hiding place. "Throw the bottles at it!"

"ARE YOU CRAZY!? THAT'S OUR PAYDAY!" The Lalafellian woman shouted back from wherever she was hiding at.

"YOU WON'T GET PAID IF YOU'RE A DEAD WOMAN!" He shouted back.

"AHHHHH!" He heard her cry out forcing him to his feet. He watched on enthralled by the sight as the black smoke enshrouded her. What the hell was it doing? With her mouth open and screaming, the black cloud forced its way inside a bit at a time before she closed her mouth and collapsed onto the floor. Without much thought, the Midlander hurled a bottle at the now visibly smaller cloud causing it to turn back his way. Upon contact and shattering the creature shrieked and backed away after hastily form the dissipating white cloud.

One bottle after another of the same type that held that white substance he hurled until he reached the woman's side. "Artessa! ARTESSA!" He shouted fruitlessly as he shook the tiny, limp frame. "Vallio, Artessa's down!" Levy said as he glanced back up to see the man slice through one of the golden balls which quickly turned back into the glittering dust it had once been. Judging from the pile at his feet it was not the first of its kind.

"God's Damnit!" The Highlander stated, "Form up, Close in and we'll stand together!"

Glancing once more to where he'd last seen the black cloud, Levy noted that it was… gone, followed closely by the male scream of their Archer. The black Cloud was doing the same to him that it had done to the Lalafell at the blonde's feet. When the Elezen's mouth clamped down his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed into a heap on the floor. **'Get away'**, the voice in his head once more, **'hurry'** it pleaded with him.

"LEVY,QUICKLY! GET OVER HERE!" The man shouted an order and the Lancer leapt to obey after grasping his spear in one hand and two bottles in his other. The blonde Midlander sprinted across the room and ducked under two of the small yellow and blue floating ghostly blobs who laughed menacingly at them as he passed. "Guard my back," the man ordered him as the two stood close and circled around to watch their many enemies. Some of the glowing, glittering dust floated up and reformed into the snickering blob ghosts before flying at them once more. They would never win this battle at the rate things were going.

The two ducked and Levy located the black cloud floating angrily across the room. With menace in his aim, the blonde hurled a glass container at the thing and heard it shriek as it shattered nearby and released a white cloud which attacked its counterpart with ferocity before dissipating. "Did you see that Vallio?" He questioned.

"I did. What do those bottles look like you're throwing?" He questioned. **'Please run'**, the voice echoed once more. **'Can't win'** it intoned. A whistling noise reached his ears just before the feel of Vallio's back left his own. Whirling around the blonde saw the standing figure of Kyraal with glowing red eyes and his head lolled lazily to the side.

A cough from below tore his gaze away and down to the Highlander who was laying on the floor with an arrow in his stomach. He coughed up blood and shook his head. "Get out…" he stopped and panted, "Levy." Another whistling noise sailed past his left ear followed by a clattering breaking noise behind him. He looked up to see that Kyraal was pulling a third arrow.

The floating ghost blobs circled over head laughing uproariously. Turning around he hurled the last of his beakers at the black blob which screamed out painfully as it released another white cloud that attacked it. "I can't just leave you here Vallio."

"Go fool." The man stated weakly as he tried to force his way fruitlessly to his feet. A shrill laughter unlike he'd heard thus far drew his attention over to the standing form of Artessa on one of the metal tables with a mad glint to her completely red eyes.

With anger guiding his hand once more, the Blonde Midlander hurled his spear at the woman and watched as it impaled her through the chest, drug her from the table and through the air a few feet, before her already lifeless form slammed into the ground and went still. The black smoke gushed from her mouth, nose, eyes, and ears then dissipated into the air like its white counterpart. Another arrow whizzed by him and he ducked down to see lifeless eyes staring up at him from Vallio's face.

Fighting back tears for his friend, his hero, and man that had saved his life countless times, he retrieved the man's sword, stood up, and charged recklessly at the archer. An arrow thudded into then pierced through his Haubergeon sending agony through his left shoulder not far from his heart. His right gripped the blade harder as he brought it up and then down at an arc half severing the Elezen's head before ceasing it's motion and getting stuck. Red glazed eyes blinked once before the body went rigid and black smoke poured from him and dissipated above.

The Black cloud shot at him and he dove forward onto the floor, skided a small ways on the metal rings of his armor, and slammed into another one of those metal tables as the thing sailed over head screaming and laughing. The blonde hurriedly leapt to his feet and rushed back to the wall that held the bottles he knew worked. Grabbing at them he hurriedly started to throw them one after another at the cloud. As it screamed out painfully hurting his ears, the Blob ghosts started to rush at him angrily swarming him, blocking his vision and running into him throwing off his aim.

When had it ended? He wasn't sure… but the Black Cloud was gone, and the Blob ghosts collapsed one by one into their glittering piles. Panting and with several small cuts on his face he noted the horrid pain in his shoulder. The arrow implanted there caused everything to throb, and the world spun in circles… or maybe that was him. Blood loss… maybe?

Something slammed into his stomach doubling him over forcing wind from his lungs and he stared down at familiar boots. The blood covered arrow in front of his eyes sent a shiver down his spine. "_Vallio_", he thought as he weakly looked up before he was grabbed around the throat and slammed into the wall by the crimson eyed former Leader of their decimated group. The shelves that had once remained attached to the wall now crashed down around him sending more bottles skittering, breaking, and bouncing onto the floor; as well as the two Hyurans.

The man threw him to the ground slamming Levy onto his left shoulder and forcing a silent scream to rend his lips apart. He still wasn't done yet, that THING was still alive, haunting him, trying to kill him like it had the others. Kicking a foot up he rammed it into the shaft of the arrow shoving it deeper into the walking almost corpse. Was Vallio's body still alive? Killing the other two had forced the black cloud out of them. Full crimson eyes glared daggers at him as the body of his former friend lifted him once more from his place on the ground with unnatural strength then hurled him across the room only to slam into more shelves. A cabinet nearby crashed down on top of the blonde Midlander snapping the arrow shaft off and imbedding it more, not to mention bathing him in whatever substances it held. He felt them seep into his clothing, his eyes, his nose and mouth, he sputtered out all he could but he'd swallowed who knew how much of any form of the vile liquids. As his eyes began to close he heard footsteps slowly crunching glass below as they moved his direction.

Just before Sky blues fluttered closed they caught a glimpse of the figure coming to a stop above him. Glowing red eyes stared down at him from an expressionless face and all went black.

**TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER ONE**

Space…

Space…

**Authors Note:** Warning, this story contains Fantasia…

Chapters this long will not be commonplace... I just couldn't stop writing this one, and it wouldn't get where I wanted it without all this extra stuff...

The unspoken truth here is that if he'd thrown the bottles at the other two he could have saved their lives rather than killed them like he had. See what anger does to your sometimes rational thoughts?

I think it would be a cool boss fight, a group of adds you ignore, and the main one that occasionally possesses a member you have to save. If you don't break them out in time your whole party could be possessed and then it's game over. You have to use the certain glass bottles to harm the boss because  
no physical attacks work. Magic would though… to a degree. It's magic after all. The small ones you're supposed to ignore most of the time could cause you to drop the bottles you're supposed to throw sometimes, like in other dungeons (the rocks you feed to the worms in Copperbell HM at the final boss, etc).So you could have the more useless DPS killing the blob ghosts while the tank and other three either attacking with magic, healing, or throwing the bottles at each other and the boss.

The almost useless throwing motion gets used if this happens too!

_**Reviews are loved, Fav's, Follows, and Miqobob's are appreciated.**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Authors Note One:** Some parts of this get awkward… due to reference's you'll no doubt notice.

**Chapter One**

**A Legend is Born**

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Sky blue eyes opened and blinked in a repeated fashion before settling onto a familiar figure by his bed. His mother, the Hyuran Midlander woman, had married his father for love of his captivating tales of wandering, adventures, and Ravenous monsters. She loved the man himself as well, of course. Only too then be left at home most of the time with Levyrian and his brother. "Mom?" He choked out questioningly.

"**SURVIVOR… FOUN… CAPT…**"

Shock spread across the blonde's face at the odd voice echoing throughout the room. "Are you alright honey?" The woman questioned as if the booming voice had never occurred in the first place. How had he gotten home? This was most assuredly the room he'd shared with his brother in their home when he was younger, but he hadn't been here in nearly eleven years.

**"****How is…"**

When he didn't respond to the woman's voice, and rather looked all around himself, her expression morphed into one of concern as she reached over to him. Her hand touched down onto his forehead as she looked into his now focused eyes. "You don't seem to have a fever, but you just recovered, you should rest."

**"****Barely Hang… in… I'm Not…****Will…"**

He opened his mouth to question the older blonde as to how he arrived back home, but the door to his room was kicked in and sent flying through the air until it collided with a wall. A Lalafell that had been standing in the window, and that he hadn't seen up until that point, panicked and appeared to have fallen from his perch. Motion back at where the thick wooden door used to be recaptured his gaze. A female Miqo'te leapt through the opening, landed gracefully, glanced around, then ran and jumped through the window. A tiny muffled voice sounded through the opening both confusing Levy, and making him want to go to check things out.

**"****Get… Will ma… sure… Surv…"**

"Mother… did you not… see that?" He asked and pointed then stared at his hand in shock. It was so small. HE was so small, none of his odd scars he'd acquired were there, he was even wearing the clothes he'd liked the most as a child… this was… very odd. The strange voices echoing around the chambers, the random Miqo'te and Lalafell, and then the fact he was back home when he should be… wait, where had he been before this?

**"****Room…****Dus…****Broken…"**

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" He shouted angrily at the air, the onetime invaders, and his mother. The woman looked shocked, then outraged, but whatever it was she was shouting back at him was overridden by another echoing voice.

**"****Back… ter… Priorities… Now" **

"SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPP!" The blonde boy screamed out into the air while coving his ears and shutting his eyes and then, almost miraculously, everything went quiet. No echoing voices out of nowhere, no mother he hadn't seen in a decade, no crazy Lalafell or Miqo'te, just silence. Pure, blissful, Silence.

…

… …

… … ...

Slowly, a single eye cracked open, followed shortly thereafter by a second to behold the darkness that encompassed him. Where was he now? Was he actually dead and just didn't realize it yet? Was this the life stream? He thought it would be… greener.

Spinning around in his floating space he came face to face with that same Miqo'te again. Unrestrained black hair cascaded in waves down to her lower back. Violet feline eyes stared at him from a very pretty face, if not a bit young. She couldn't have been any older than nineteen to twenty one. Her skin was tanned deeply, pointing to her probable Sun Seeker origins. "He… Hello?" he questioned, quite unsure of himself.

The female smiled at him rather happily, as if she were glad to see him. Did they… know each other? He could swear he'd never met this cat in his life, or at the very least, never interacted with her at any real length. "Umm, do you know where we are?" He questioned again while taking another look around.

The smile dropped from her face to be replaced by a thoughtful expression. Her head cocked to the side spilling her hair after it only to then cock back the other way in thought. Her face lit up and her hand reached into the air finger pointed to the sky as if she had come to a conclusion. The finger descended and pointed at him happily while nodding her head.

Yep… she was crazy.

Movement caught the corner of his eye drawing his cerulean gaze from the feline. It was that odd Lalafell walking out of the darkness followed closely by a small group of others. A Midlander man who appeared to be around his age with hair a fiery red and deep emerald eyes. A huge, burley Roegadyn that was encased in armor with a huge silvery sword on his back was next. Levyrian couldn't see anything inside of that case of reddened steel so he didn't know a thing past that… not that he wanted to. The guy looked terrifying, that sword could cleave a chocobo in two with ease. And then more people… and more… and more… every race seemed to be present, and from many different walks of life.

"Umm… what…" the blonde questioned as the group continued to grow into a small band of, if he counted right, thirty-two. All of them stood behind the girl and nodded, saluted, waved, and bowed at him. Only the woman stuck out her hand... as if to shake his.

**_"_****_Hear… Feel… Think…"_**

Warily, VERY warily, he stuck his hand out and grasped hers. This was all obviously a bit odd, but what else was he supposed to do? Turn around and run away as fast as he could? To where exactly, it was an empty black expanse everywhere he looked. She shook his hand and nodded happily then lifted it up and entwined her hand with his. He stepped back shocked, but her hand didn't let go. Instead he pulled her forward a little and she stumbled into him.

At that moment whatever he'd been standing on gave way and they fell into the empty expanse. As the wind whipped around the two of them the woman still smiled as she slowly turned to bright crystalline particles and disintegrated.

His eyes closed again as his speed picked up, and up, and up, and up.

**_"_****_Hear… Feel… Think…"_**

….

…

.

His consciousness shifted after an unknown amount of time. The wind and feel of falling had stopped, replaced simply, and quite comfortably, by an all encompassing warmth.

Enough warmth to make Levy want to curl up and just lay there forever; even if it meant going back into one of those strange dreams. It was such a drastic alteration from when he was last awake. The frigid temperatures of Coerthas, snow everywhere… a cave… and then. What happened in that cave; no, in those ruins? He could swear there was a reason he'd gone there… there had been… others with him at the time… Right?

He snuggled deeper into the over sized blanket and mumble-hummed to himself in thought. There had been a few people with him, hadn't there? YES, Vallio was leading them, and… and there were two others he'd never seen before. An archer and a conjuror…

Images slowly unfolded behind his tightly shut eyes. The long walk through the wintery climes of Coerthas to their destination; just the thought of which sent an odd shiver running down his back and left an even odder sensation he wasn't used to. The small break they'd taken just before the broken doors, the long walk down that abysmal dark hallway, the strange door the others had seemed to know how to open as soon as they arrived. The whole expedition had been just one thing after another. What had happened behind the door?

He had a hard time recalling anything past that point, but he simply had to think hard at it. He could figure it out with enough time. Think…there had been vials, and strange metal tables, some piles of dust… and… something else; something that left him with a deep sense of foreboding, a sense of terror.

Events slowly started to unfold from the images until the final form took shape in his mind's eye. A high pitched scream ripped its way past his lips as he threw himself into a sitting position. Wait… He couldn't see! HE COULDN'T SEE! Reaching up he tried to claw at his eyes as his chest heaved in panic, fear, and no small amount of insanity.

He couldn't get to them, there was a thick fabric wrapped tightly around them. With trembling, yet frantic, hands the cloth covering his cerulean eyes was ripped away and tossed to the side. The fear, though still very present, slowly abated when he noted that he was no longer in the ruins, no longer had to fight that vile black cloud, no longer so very very close to the end of his life. A hand moved up to his heaving chest…

Something was very odd here… Strike that, EXTREMELY odd.

His chest felt weird, so did his lower back, there was an odd pressure there. Glancing down with trepidation, his eyes widened and he choked back a second scream, which no doubt would have been of higher pitch than he was used to. He had breast… BREAST FOR TWELVE'S SAKE! A hand reached up and ran back through his hair in confused exasperation which caused long black strands of hair to fall into his face, but the most astonishing part were the odd 'lumps' he felt and HEARD from atop his head. His ears… the hand at his chest moved around to the odd compressed sensation at his far lower back only to meet a rather furry appendage… a tail.

His breathing rate increased as his mind went into over drive… then calmed rather suddenly as he realized he was just in another of those odd dreams. A hand came up to his forehead as he let out a sigh of relief. Just another of those very strange dreams he'd been having. This one was a bit… stranger than the previous ones though.

"Umm… Miss…?" A female voice off to his left reached his new ears. He ignored it for a moment until he realized that in this dream he was a female Miqo'te. He'd had stranger dreams, far more so than the ones he'd just woken from.

"Y… yes?" He questioned the brunette, who appeared immensely relieved for some reason.

"Thank Menphina you are alright, we had thought you were a lost cause for sure when we found you. You've been unconscious for nearly a month now." The woman stated before moving to her feet from her chair next to Levy's bed with a smile. "I shall inform the captain then. He will wish to know that you have recovered. There is a set of clothes to your left on top of the chest. Please get dressed and I shall return shortly."

On some sudden impulse, and no small amount of insanity due to this being a dream, the recently blonde reached out and snatched the woman's hand as she turned to leave. "Wai-," he started before gravity decided that this was its chance to attack. Springing it's evil trap the force of nature sent the two tumbling to the floor in a heap of tangled limbs, a wash of black hair, and a very uncomfortable boot in his face.

Ugh, the tail was a nuisance; it was thrashing about seemingly of its own accord behind him. Pursing his mouth, Levy blew as much hair out of his face as he could. Naturally, it fell right back in and settled at the same spot it had been before. Rolling his eyes the dream feline pushed up into a sitting position with legs splayed in a straddle fashion atop whatever he was sitting on. A strange shiver tickled its way up his spine at a new sensation emanating from his tail when it was suddenly YANKED! Unable to hold it back, a light yelp escaped his lips as his eyes shot open wide.

Glancing behind him, Levy noted why the floor was so comfortable. "Please remove yourself from me so that I might once more return to my feet Miss." The woman he had fallen on stated. Actually… how had he landed on top in the first place? Wait, this was a dream, so it didn't really matter in the first place did it?

A light laugh escaped his lips as he extracted him from this situation. "Sorry?" he question/stated as he got to his feet and stepped away from the woman.

"Again," the woman began in exasperation. "You should dress yourself more appropriately while I go and retrieve the captain. While he would… enjoy it overtly much to find you both awake and nigh on naked, I do believe you may find such a situation to be much more uncomfortable." The dark haired Hyur stated while pointing again to said articles. Glancing down, he fully realized for the first time that he was only wearing a single piece of clothing to cover any modesty that they may have thought he had in this dream world.

It didn't really bother him in the first place, he could have run around naked in the middle of Ul'Dah without worry, it was a dream after all, and he would wake from it soon enough. "Thank… you?" He questioned hesitantly as his head cocked to the side. "Umm… where, am I? Do you know what's happening?"

Obviously, he wasn't about to die out in the real world. This dream would surely have ended had the possessed version of Vallio killed him. Perhaps the… man, had assumed him for dead, or soon to die. Truly, he should be trying to find a way to awaken himself before blood loss or some other thing managed to kill him. The recent fall hadn't done the trick, so the pain method was out of the question.

The woman smiled forlornly at him. "The captain will explain everything to you when I bring him back," she stated then turned and left the room. Hmm… ok, that was fine he guessed. With a shrug the dreaming feline walked slowly over to the chest that held the clothing… walking was SOOOO ODD! His dreaming mind was very imaginative on how everything felt. The light bounce in his-her petite breast, the swishing feel of his tail, and the way he could twitch his ears. All of them were new and completely odd feelings.

With a light sigh, Levy's hand picked up one thing after another from the garments laid before him. All in all, there was a new set of undergarments (including a brassiere of sorts), a light thin shirt, pair of shorts, and lace up to the shin sandals. A quick glance back at the door and he shrugged then started to get dressed. Dream or whatever, may as well comply for now.

Getting dressed was just as weird an experience as should be expected. It took him almost five minutes to manage to get the Brassiere properly placed like he'd seen before; freaking annoying, not to mention the new sensation it was best not to go into details about. Hell he'd almost given up on it for a moment. The white shirt was way too loose and hung around him, and the black short shorts wouldn't stay up without him holding them. There wasn't a hole for his new tail, so the appendage simply pushed them down in a rather revealing manor. The dream could at least have made all of his clothes fit properly.

Hmm… if only he could see what he looked like, but there was unfortunately no mirror of any sort sitting around. A glance down revealed deeply tanned skin, and if he turned around waves of black hair cascaded down nearly to the base of his long black tail. Hmmm… he'd seen a Miqo'te of this description recently… THE PREVIOUS DREAMS! So he knew what he looked like to some degree, probably.

A knock reached the dream feline's ears causing them to twitch in response and he turned to the door. "Are you fully presentable Miss?" came a male voice from the other side.

"Yes," Levy replied in that distinctly lighter voice; then thought, _'__to a degree in any case'_. He looked like he had just woken up after a one night stand and all of his clothes were missing; so he had worn whatever was just lying around.

The door opened slowly to allow in the woman from before, and then… the red headed Hyur from his last dream. What, no Lalafell? While holding up the pair of rather short black shorts with one hand he watched the man close the door behind him and turn to back to face him once more. "It's good to see you awake Miss, when we found you a few of us were convinced that you wouldn't make it."

"I'm… a little confused. Where… am I?" Just in case this wasn't a dream and he was in fact dead. The Twelve could just be playing some sick joke before sending him on to the life stream… which should be green and not black. Levy didn't move from the spot he was standing in, lest the clothes decided to try and FALL off of him.

The fire haired Hyur nodded and motioned for him to take a seat on the bed. With an inward sigh, a bit of hesitation, and a hand firmly clasped on the short black shorts Levy made his way back to the bed and sat down with legs crossed. What were these shorts made for, a Roegadyn woman? When the man apparently deemed him appropriately situated he spoke again. "You are in the house of the Free Company that I lead. My allies and I came across you and a couple others in some Allagan ruins in Central Coerthas. As Eira has no doubt said, you've been unconscious for nigh on a month now, slipping constantly between near death and life. It is quit the feat of will that you managed to survive in your condition."

What…

"Sadly, your friends were dead when we arrived, can you tell us what happened?" The red head questioned her as… soothingly as possible.

No… really, what…

His rather blank stare and lack of a response seemed to confuse the man to a small degree. Glancing around him he frowned for a few moments before speaking aloud to himself. "I wonder when I will wake up from this dream."

"I'm… sorry Miss, but… I am afraid that you are not dreaming." The man replied cautiously which drew Levy's gaze back to him just as he performed a soothing motion.

What…

The newly made Miqo'te that was supposed to be dreaming laughed aloud at the thought of that notion. Really, what else could this be besides just another of those weird dreams. He had turned into a female Miqo'te of all things. The man looked at the woman Eira beside him in concern before turning back to face the one time blonde.

"You should get some sleep…" The man stated then signaled the woman to his side. A few muttered words later and Levy's eyes began to droop. He couldn't go back to sleep now… he had to wake up from this dream and get back to reality.

He had to… wake back up…

Space…

Space…

**Authors Note Two:** Bump bump buuuuummmm

**Reviews are loved - Fav's, Follows, and Miqobob's are appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Authors Note One:** Here is chapter two! It is much shorter than the previous chapters, but it completes the thought nicely. Chapter lengths will vary considerably at times. Thanks for the fav's and Follows they do keep me going (or get my butt in gear). Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I own you... but I don't own FFXIV ARR... well, I own the game itself, but... Whatever.

Space...

**Chapter Two**

**Tall Tales**

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The orange glimmer brushing past thin window curtains showed Levy, who had recently awoken, that some time had passed since he had come to once more. Rather than have a second panic attack, start screaming like a lunatic, or try to kill herself, she'd calmed down to a degree and was TRYING to think rationally about all of what was going on. Yes, for the time being the one time Male Hyur had decided to reference himself as a female. His current predicament could hardly allow her to do aught else; lest she be thrown into one of those severely underfunded asylums.

The conclusions she had come to were all nigh on improbable, but her last memories took place in an Allaghan ruin. Things found in those dark relics of the past could do much more than the races of today could ever dream of. Changing the race, and of all things SEX, of a person… was still a bit farfetched, but what else could there be? The two she had seen upon waking were to blame? Unlikely, and perhaps a bit harsh, after all they were probably the ones who had saved her life.

A hand drifted up to her shoulder and felt around the small scar that had formed during her nearly month long slumber. It was a constant reminder of the events that had taken place on that day. So, the conclusion she had come to was that it was either the black cloud… or one of the many potions she had come into contact with from that cabinet. With ears twitching lightly atop her head Levy continued in deep thought until the door opened to show the arrival of the fire haired captain from before.

She sat up in the bed immediately and stared at the man with her slit eyes until he took a seat next to the bed. "I see you are much calmer now than before."

"As calm as can be expected in the circumstances." She replied in a voice that would no doubt take much time to get used to. She took note and added that to the growing list of annoyances this body held so far. The weight of her hair, the feeling of the tail and ears, and others she didn't feel like thinking of at the moment flashed through her mind when she thought of the list.

"So, could you explain what happened?" He questioned cautiously, yet somehow sternly at the same time while sitting back in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. Perhaps he feared another fit of hysterics.

The woman that Levy had seen, and no doubt put her to sleep earlier, opened the door and brought a small cup of something that smelled of tea. "Thank you," she said with a small nod of her head as she took the proffered cup from the outstretched hand a few moments later.

After taking a few more minutes to arrange her thoughts, and a few sips of the rather bitter tea, then setting the cup on the small stand beside the bed, she began. "This," she began by motioning to her whole body. "Is not me. I wasn't… like this." Ok, so this was harder than she thought it would be. How did one explain to two perfect strangers that not only had you once been a Hyur, but a MALE one. "I suppose I should… start from the beginning then," she said then pursed her lips as they looked on in confusion.

"Our group's leader, Vallio, discovered through word of mouth an Allaghan ruin. The same one you found me in." Levy began the dreaded tale.

"Vallio Serav?" The captain questioned to which the raven haired Miqo'te nodded before continuing.

"We encountered only a small pack of wolves that had taken the hallways as their new den. They were easily dispatched as we moved inside, and it was just walking after that until we came to the room you found me in. Things… went very wrong after entering it." She paused and questioned if she should tell them of the odd voice, but thought better of it with the already unbelievable situation she found herself in.

When she didn't speak, the woman behind the captain butted in, "How did things go wrong from there? From what we gathered, it appeared that one of your party turned on the others."

Levy's face twisted into a grimace and she nodded, "that… was me." The two went on edge slightly as the captains face took on a darker look. She could surmise what their thoughts may be; greed could do things to otherwise nice wholesome people, especially after the Calamity. "There wasn't supposed to be anything alive inside of a sealed ruin after that long, right. I mean, what could possibly be alive after thousands of years? That's what we all thought," She paused and brushed an errant strand of hair out of her face before continuing in a strained tone. "But we were wrong, there was something there… a ghost of sorts. It started to posses the others not long after we started to look around." She began and continued on to rendered the whole tale in as much detail as could be remembered.

Thankfully the Captain and the woman had sat silently until, and even a few minutes after she had recounted the events in their entirety. "That rack of potions must have done something to me though, because I wasn't a Miqo'te when I lost consciousness."

The captain perked up, "What do you mean?" The woman behind the man seemed skeptical at best… though perhaps that was a fair bit of intrigue Levy detected in her eyes.

"My name," she began blandly, "is Levyrian Nephele, I was a Male Hyur, and a friend of Vallio's. I was basically bathed in, and ingested a number of odd potions when the shelf fell on top of me. Vallio should have killed me… but…" she trailed off when she saw their faces. "You don't believe a word I'm saying, do you?"

"It's a bit hard to take seriously when looking at you," the red head stated calmly.

"It is pure rubbish," the woman – Eira followed. "To speak of a mixture of ingredients that may change ones Race and gender is simply preposterous."

Levy's eye twitched slightly at the condescending tone that was laced throughout the woman's voice. "You'll have to forgive me if my current situation is taxing your imagination. I'm still waiting to wake up in a pool of my own blood, covered in shards of glass, with a very heavy shelf on top of me." She managed to grate out completely without leaping off of the bed in anger.

"Do you have any way of proving any of this?" The captain stepped in with a voice of reason.

A sigh escaped Levy's lips as she laid back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "Not without finding someone I know on more than a simply professional level."

"Then for now, I suggest we chalk it up to mixed up memories due to blunt force trauma. Such things have been known to happen when one is hit in the head with a mace. Though I would have to say that this is the first case I've heard of

"Captain, perhaps we should-" the woman began.

"No, Eira," The man cut her off, perhaps already seeing what she was about to say. "Just show our guest around the house, and return most of her things," the man stated as he moved once more to his feet. "Miss Nephele, please understand that I cannot in good conscious return to you all of your things just yet, nor can I allow you to leave in your current physical condition."

"I…" Levy sat up and started to protest, but it died in her throat as she nodded. "Can I at least get something that fits properly? Gods know it's annoying to constantly have to hold up a pair of shorts."

"I'll… see what I can do," The captain stated then turned and left through the door.

The raven haired Miqo'te turned her feline gaze upon the female Hyur once more. She did not look pleased with the situation. Well she could get over it, Levy was far less so than the woman could hope to be. A smile crossed Levy's face as she turned and let her feet fall from the bed to the wooden floor. "Well then, I suppose we should get started, right?"

"Yes, I suppose we should," the woman stated mildly while staring at her. "I will try to acquire you some essentials and more aritcles of clothing. Should we leave it to the Captain, you will not like what you receive."

Levy's head cocked to the side in slight confusion for a moment before it dawned on her. The captain was… and eccentric person. "I… see, thank you. I would be grateful."

"Follow me please," the woman motioned and headed for the same door that the Captain had left through. On with the tour!

Space…

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